Scott, Colleagues Urge Governors to Opt in to Federal School Choice Initiative

WASHINGTON — This week, U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and Reps. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) and Burgess Owens (R-Utah), and House Committee on Education and Workforce Chairman Tim Walberg (R-Minn.), sent letters to the governors of all 50 U.S. states and the mayor of the District of Columbia. In the letters, the members called upon the governors to opt in to a new federal scholarship tax credit initiative, allowing students, parents, and scholarship granting organizations (SGOs) in their state to participate. 

Key excerpts of the letter include: 

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This innovative credit will unlock billions of private dollars to fund scholarships for K-12 students across the country, including in your state.

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Importantly, this tax credit complements existing state-level education programs. It will 
not impact federal or state education funding or diminish public schools. Instead, it gives families more options—whether in public or private, religious or non-religious settings—and allows students to either pursue new opportunities or enrich their current education.

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While the tax credit officially launches on Jan. 1, 2027, it is important for states to opt in early to provide certainty to students and SGOs.

Read the full letter here.

BACKGROUND:

On July 4, 2025, a provision included in the working families tax cuts package based on Cassidy, Scott, Smith, and Owens’ Educational Choice for Children Act became the first federal school choice program enacted into law.

Due to a questionable determination made by the Senate parliamentarian shortly before the legislation’s passage in the Senate, governors are required annually to designate participating SGOs in order to make scholarship opportunities available to students in their state.

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